diff --git a/core-jdk8/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/Mapping.java b/core-jdk8/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/Mapping.java
index 15cb8d0a4..7c264f253 100644
--- a/core-jdk8/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/Mapping.java
+++ b/core-jdk8/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/Mapping.java
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public @interface Mapping {
      * <li>When no matching property is found, MapStruct looks for a matching parameter name instead.</li>
      * <li>When used to map an enum constant, the name of the constant member is to be given.</li>
      * </ol>
-     * Either this attribute or {@link #constant()} or {@link #expression()} may be specified for a given mapping.
+     * This attribute can not be used together with {@link #constant()} or {@link #expression()}.
      *
      * @return The source name of the configured property or enum constant.
      */
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public @interface Mapping {
      * property is not of type {@code String}, the value will be converted by applying a matching conversion method or
      * built-in conversion.
      * <p>
-     * Either this attribute or {@link #source()} or {@link #expression()} may be specified for a given mapping.
+     * This attribute can not be used together with {@link #source()}, {@link #defaultValue()} or {@link #expression()}.
      *
      * @return A constant {@code String} constant specifying the value for the designated target property
      */
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public @interface Mapping {
      * Any types referenced in expressions must be given via their fully-qualified name. Alternatively, types can be
      * imported via {@link Mapper#imports()}.
      * <p>
-     * Either this attribute, {@link #source()} or {@link #constant()} may be specified for a given mapping.
+     * This attribute can not be used together with {@link #source()}, {@link #defaultValue()} or {@link #constant()}.
      *
      * @return An expression specifying the value for the designated target property
      */
@@ -156,14 +156,13 @@ public @interface Mapping {
     String[] dependsOn() default { };
 
     /**
+     * In case the source property is {@code null}, the provided default {@link String} value is set. If the designated
+     * target property is not of type {@code String}, the value will be converted by applying a matching conversion
+     * method or built-in conversion.
      * <p>
-     * In case the source property is null the provided default {@link String} value is set.
-     * If the designated target
-     * property is not of type {@code String}, the value will be converted by applying a matching conversion method or
-     * built-in conversion.
-     * </p>
-     * Either this attribute or {@link #constant()} or {@link #expression()} may be specified for a given mapping.
-     * @return Default value to set in case the source property is null.
+     * This attribute can not be used together with {@link #constant()} or {@link #expression()}.
+     *
+     * @return Default value to set in case the source property is {@code null}.
      */
     String defaultValue() default "";
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/Mapping.java b/core/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/Mapping.java
index 644ba5720..5221a6775 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/Mapping.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/Mapping.java
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public @interface Mapping {
      * <li>When no matching property is found, MapStruct looks for a matching parameter name instead.</li>
      * <li>When used to map an enum constant, the name of the constant member is to be given.</li>
      * </ol>
-     * Either this attribute or {@link #constant()} or {@link #expression()} may be specified for a given mapping.
+     * This attribute can not be used together with {@link #constant()} or {@link #expression()}.
      *
      * @return The source name of the configured property or enum constant.
      */
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public @interface Mapping {
      * property is not of type {@code String}, the value will be converted by applying a matching conversion method or
      * built-in conversion.
      * <p>
-     * Either this attribute or {@link #source()} or {@link #expression()} may be specified for a given mapping.
+     * This attribute can not be used together with {@link #source()}, {@link #defaultValue()} or {@link #expression()}.
      *
      * @return A constant {@code String} constant specifying the value for the designated target property
      */
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ public @interface Mapping {
      * <p>
      * Currently, Java is the only supported "expression language" and expressions must be given in form of Java
      * expressions using the following format: {@code java(<EXPRESSION>)}. For instance the mapping
+     * <p>
      *
      * <pre>
      * {@code @Mapping(
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ public @interface Mapping {
      * Any types referenced in expressions must be given via their fully-qualified name. Alternatively, types can be
      * imported via {@link Mapper#imports()}.
      * <p>
-     * Either this attribute, {@link #source()} or {@link #constant()} may be specified for a given mapping.
+     * This attribute can not be used together with {@link #source()}, {@link #defaultValue()} or {@link #constant()}.
      *
      * @return An expression specifying the value for the designated target property
      */
@@ -153,14 +154,13 @@ public @interface Mapping {
     String[] dependsOn() default { };
 
     /**
+     * In case the source property is {@code null}, the provided default {@link String} value is set. If the designated
+     * target property is not of type {@code String}, the value will be converted by applying a matching conversion
+     * method or built-in conversion.
      * <p>
-     * In case the source property is null the provided default {@link String} value is set.
-     * If the designated target
-     * property is not of type {@code String}, the value will be converted by applying a matching conversion method or
-     * built-in conversion.
-     * </p>
-     * Either this attribute or {@link #constant()} or {@link #expression()} may be specified for a given mapping.
-     * @return Default value to set in case the source property is null.
+     * This attribute can not be used together with {@link #constant()} or {@link #expression()}.
+     *
+     * @return Default value to set in case the source property is {@code null}.
      */
     String defaultValue() default "";
 }
diff --git a/processor/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/ap/internal/model/PropertyMapping.java b/processor/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/ap/internal/model/PropertyMapping.java
index c15760d73..d5ae07544 100644
--- a/processor/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/ap/internal/model/PropertyMapping.java
+++ b/processor/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/ap/internal/model/PropertyMapping.java
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@ public class PropertyMapping extends ModelElement {
     private final Type targetType;
     private final Assignment assignment;
     private final List<String> dependsOn;
-    private String defaultValue;
-    private Assignment defaultValueAssignment;
+    private final Assignment defaultValueAssignment;
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     private static class MappingBuilderBase<T extends MappingBuilderBase<T>> {
@@ -798,10 +797,6 @@ public class PropertyMapping extends ModelElement {
         return dependsOn;
     }
 
-    public String getDefaultValue() {
-        return defaultValue;
-    }
-
     @Override
     public String toString() {
         return "PropertyMapping {"
diff --git a/processor/src/main/resources/org/mapstruct/ap/internal/model/assignment/SetterWrapper.ftl b/processor/src/main/resources/org/mapstruct/ap/internal/model/assignment/SetterWrapper.ftl
index d39e1f573..0b8b1cf6b 100644
--- a/processor/src/main/resources/org/mapstruct/ap/internal/model/assignment/SetterWrapper.ftl
+++ b/processor/src/main/resources/org/mapstruct/ap/internal/model/assignment/SetterWrapper.ftl
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
     }
     </#list>
 </#if>
-
 <#macro _assignment>
     <@includeModel object=assignment
                targetBeanName=ext.targetBeanName
@@ -40,7 +39,6 @@
                targetType=ext.targetType
                defaultValueAssignment=ext.defaultValueAssignment/>
 </#macro>
-
 <#macro _defaultValueAssignment>
     <@includeModel object=ext.defaultValueAssignment.assignment
                targetBeanName=ext.targetBeanName
@@ -48,13 +46,16 @@
                targetWriteAccessorName=ext.targetWriteAccessorName
                targetType=ext.targetType/>
 </#macro>
-
 <#macro assignment_w_defaultValue>
-    ${ext.targetBeanName}.${ext.targetWriteAccessorName}( <@_assignment/> );
-    <#-- if the assignee property is a primitive, defaulValueAssignment will not be set -->
     <#if ext.defaultValueAssignment?? >
-    if ( ${sourceReference} == null ) {
-        ${ext.targetBeanName}.${ext.targetWriteAccessorName}( <@_defaultValueAssignment/> );
-    }
+        <#-- if the assignee property is a primitive, defaulValueAssignment will not be set -->
+        if ( ${sourceReference} != null ) {
+            ${ext.targetBeanName}.${ext.targetWriteAccessorName}( <@_assignment/> );
+        }
+        else {
+            ${ext.targetBeanName}.${ext.targetWriteAccessorName}( <@_defaultValueAssignment/> );
+        }
+    <#else>
+        ${ext.targetBeanName}.${ext.targetWriteAccessorName}( <@_assignment/> );
     </#if>
 </#macro>
\ No newline at end of file